Hartlepool 4 Gillingham 0

GILLINGHAM remain fourth from bottom in League 1 after a dismal 4-0 defeat in torrential rain at Hartlepool on Saturday.

The home side took the lead in the 21st minute when the ball broke to Andy Monkhouse whose speculative effort looped in beyond keeper Derek Stillie.

It was almost 2-0 three minutes later when Ritchie Humphreys saw his placed header come back off the crossbar.

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But the advantage was doubled on 25 minutes when Ian Cox was turned by Joel Porter, who then showed fine composure to evade Simon King and finish beyond Stillie.

Gillingham's day was summed up with 22 minutes to play when Adam Miller saw his penalty saved after striker Simeon Jackson had been clattered by keeper Arran Lee-Barrett when clean through.

That miss was punished to the full four minutes later as the home side went three up when Sam Collins saw his free header come back off the upright but then into the net via the back of the unlucky Stillie.

The scoring was complete in stoppage time when Jamie McCunnie's fine free kick from the edge of the box found the net.

Gillingham manager Mark Stimson said: "At half-time, with the conditions the way they were, I thought we had a chance of testing their keeper in the second half and putting them under pressure.

"We had a glimmer with the penalty and I don't think Adam Miller could have hit it any better. Once that didn't go in I felt the boys just thought it wasn't going to be their day.

"It seemed like that from the sidelines and unfortunately after that Hartlepool added to their total and made it four. It was a poor result and performance in the end."

Gillingham: Stillie, Fuller, Cox, King, Nutter, Oli (Griffiths 60mins), Crofts, Maher, Miller, Facey, Jackson (Mulligan 81mins).
Subs Not Used: Kiely, Bygrave, Lewis.
Attendance: 4,055.

See Monday's Medway Messenger for all the action and reaction from Victoria Park.